Grease gun



June 5, 1923.

c. R. MILLER GREASE GUN Filed Oct. 12 1921 Patented June 5, 1923.

UNITED- STATES:

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES R. MILLER, OF GOLLINSVILLE, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR TO KELLOGG MANUFAC TUBING (30., OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

GREASE GUN.

Application filed October 12, 1921.

of which the following is a specification,

reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

Thisinvention relates to improvements 1n grease guns, and pertains to the provision of means forengaging and releasing the threads ofthe piston rod...

The primary object of my invention is to so construct a grease gun that its piston maybe used therein by the action of the thread on the piston rod, or can be moved freely back and forth in the gun cyhnder independently of the action of the thread on the piston rod.

In grease guns which embody a threaded rotatable piston rod for moving the piston therein to force the grease from the gun and where no means is provided for releasing the thread of the rod,'it 1s a slow,

tedious and undesirable operation to retract the piston in the cylinder for refilling or any other purpose. I am aware that grease guns having threaded rods have been so constructed that its piston and rod could be moved independent of the a ction ofthe thread, and my present invention pertains to an improved manner-of engaging and releasing'the thread of the piston rod, whereby the piston may be forced 1n the cylinder by'the action of the thread, or moved in the cylinder independent of the thread.

A further object'of my invention is to' provide, the closed end of the gun cylinder with a laterally moving member operative from the outside of the cylinder, for engaging and'releasing the piston rod thread.

A further object of my invention is to provide the grease gun cylinder with an' oscillating cap that controls means at the end of the cylinder for engaging and disengaging the piston rod thread.

Further objects of my invention will appear from the following description and disclosure. v

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation partly'in longitudinal section of'a grease gun which embodies my present improvement.

Serial No. 507,226.

Fig. is a longitudinal central section of the closed or handle-end of the gun cylinder showing my, improvement applied thereto.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of my improved thread engaging and releasing means being.

Referring now to the drawings,,1 is. a-

grease gun cylinder which may be of the ordinary construction. As here shown, the. outlet end 2 18 provided with a screw-cap 3, carrying an outlet nozzle 4. Within the cylinder 1 is any desired form of piston or plunger 5, which is movable back and forth within the cylinder. A. piston or lunger rod 6 has its inner end 7 connecte to the piston in any desired manner.

The piston rod 6 is providedwith threads 8, which extend substantially throughout'its length, and the handle-end 9 of the rod extends through the adjacent end of the cylinder and carries a suitable handle 10, by means of which the rod is rotatable, and movable back and forth.

Referring now to my present improvement, I provide at the handle-end of the cylinder, a support 11 for my thread-engaging and releasing means A. This support is here shown in the form of a partition, though it is not necessary that the support be a partition so long as it will serve to support the threadengaging and means A.

In the mechanical expression of my thread-engaging and releasing means here shown, there are two pivoted laterally movable or swinging members 12 and 13. These members have their inner edges preferably provided with outwardly extending recesses or curved surfaces 12 and 13 for engaging the thread 8 of the piston rod 6. One end of the member 12 is pivoted at the point 11 to the support 11, and its opposite end is pivoted to the adjacent end of the member 13, at the point 15. From thisit will be seen that an inward move thread 8 of the rod'6, as shown in Fig. 3, and the opposite or outward movement of releasing the end 16 will cause the members to separate and disengage the thread 8 of the rod 6, as shown in Fig. 4.

In the illustrative mechanical embodiment of my meansof operating the members 12 and 13, there is a cap 17 fitting the handle end of the cylinder 1, and is oscillatable thereon. As shown, the end of the cylinder and the cap are provided with meshing screw-threads 18. The cap as shown, encloses the thread engaging and releasing means A, between it and the suport 11. A projection or screw member 19 passes through the cap and has a screw-threaded end 20 entering the end 16 of the member 13, as shown. By this construction when the cap 17 is turned in one direction, the members 12 and 13 are caused to separate, and when it is turned in the other direction, they are caused to approach each other by the movement of the end 16, as above described. Preferably, though not necessarily, the cap 17 is provided with a notch. 21 and the cylinder with a screw-stop 22, which limits the oscillating movement of the cap 17. Preferably the screw threads 18 of the cap and cylinder are of the usual spiral form, whereby the cap is held to the cylinder and may be removed therefrom to expose their releasing and engaging means by removing the screws 19 and 22.

By means of this construction, the threads of the piston rod can be caused to operate or fail to operate by the oscillation of the cap 17. Therefore, after the gun has been emptied of its grease, a slight movement of the cap will release the threads so that the piston can be retracted the full length of the cylinder by a longitudinal pull, to enable the cylinder to be again filled with grease for operation, or with the thread-released,

the plunger can be rapidly moved back and forth in the cylinder, thus enabling the gun to be used as an oil, gasoline or water pump, to supply the various needs of an automobile, as well as capable of acting as a grease gun. Generically speaking, the thread releasing and engaging means A may be termed a scissors-like thread engaging and releasing means. I desire it also to be understood that one variation in the generic invention shown will reside in the use of only one of the pivoted members (such as 12) which could be used and the projection or screw 19 enter a slot in the free end of the member 12 and cause it to move'into and out of engagement with the thread 8 by the oscillation of the cap 17. However, I prefer to use the two members, as herein shown and described.

The foregoin description and disclosure is the preferrec mechanical expression of my improvement, though I desire it to be understood that variations could be made in the construction here shown without departing from the generic scope and spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: i

1. In a device of the character described the combination with a cylinder having at one end a transversely extending support, a threaded rod passing through the end of the cylinder, two transverse levers located at opposite sides of the rod, the levers pivoted together at one side of the rod, one end of one lever pivoted to the said support at the opposite side of the rod, and an oscillating cap connected to the other end of the lever whereby the oscillation of the cap will cagse the levers to engage and disengage said ro 2. In a device of the character described comprising a cylinder having at one end transversely extending members pivoted together, the opposite end of one member pivotally supported by the cylinder, a screw rod passing through the cylinder, and an oscillating cap operatively connected with the end of the other member to cause said members to engage and disengage the said rod.

3. A device of the character described, the combination with a cylinder having at one end a transversely extending support, a threaded rod passing through the cylinder, two pivoted levers constituting a thread engaging and releasing means having one free end supported by the support, and an oscillating cap operatively connected with the other end of the engaging and releasing means, the parts operating as described.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination with a cylinder, a piston therein and a threaded piston rod extending through one end of the cylinder, of a member extending transverse the end of the cylinder and pivotally supported by the cylinder, said member provided with an outwardly projecting member at its free end, and an oscillating cap carried by the cylinder and engaging said outwardly projecting member to move said transverse member into and out of engagement with the threaded rod.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with a cylinder, and threaded piston rod extending through one end of the cylinder, two laterally movable members adjacent the threaded red, the end of one member pivotally supported by the cylinder, the opposite end of the said member pivoted to one end of the other member, and means operatively connected to the free end ofthe last mentioned member to move it laterally, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

CHARLES MILLER. 

